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      12-19-2008, 07:43 AM   #1
Mr.AK
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Winter Wash

I need to wash the M3 but it's near freezing outside. I don't want to take it to the auto car wash for obvious reasons. What do you guys recommend during the winter months?
PS- I'm probably gonna garage the car after the first snow/salting. Don't wanna risk the damage.
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      12-19-2008, 07:56 AM   #2
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... i ran hot water into my garage

wait for the warmest day (above freezing for obvious reasons)..

and suck it up.. i usually pull back in and close my garage before i dry..

then throw on a plug in heater and wax away if you wish

... i wont be driving mine either in snow or salt ...
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      12-19-2008, 10:49 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.AK View Post
I need to wash the M3 but it's near freezing outside. I don't want to take it to the auto car wash for obvious reasons. What do you guys recommend during the winter months?
PS- I'm probably gonna garage the car after the first snow/salting. Don't wanna risk the damage.
Rinse the car with a high pressure hose or pressure washer. If you can integrate the soap into the stream that is best. DO NOT dry the car, because that is what will give you the most swirls and possibly rub dirt that you don't clean off deep into your paint.
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      12-19-2008, 02:02 PM   #4
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touchless/rail-less auto carwash or coin op powerwash bay.
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      12-20-2008, 11:52 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kmac1980 View Post
touchless/rail-less auto carwash or coin op powerwash bay.
+1
from my experience a touchless car wash is the best option for winter... touchless washes get less dirt off the car than a handwash but you have less risk of damaging the paint job. so your car may only be 95% clean but at least its better than having it filthy from salt, etc.
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      12-21-2008, 07:33 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rawedge2 View Post
... i ran hot water into my garage

wait for the warmest day (above freezing for obvious reasons)..

and suck it up.. i usually pull back in and close my garage before i dry..

then throw on a plug in heater and wax away if you wish

... i wont be driving mine either in snow or salt ...
ARE YOU CRAZY ?!!!?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Windy View Post
Rinse the car with a high pressure hose or pressure washer. If you can integrate the soap into the stream that is best. DO NOT dry the car, because that is what will give you the most swirls and possibly rub dirt that you don't clean off deep into your paint.
Correct But to be sure DO NOT put hot water on a cold car you will contract the metal faster than you can blink, the paint will crack and then your in for some real fun !! slowly raise the temprature of the area to wash with steps of cool, warm, warmer & then very warm water with car shampoo, then wash it down with a high pressure system (which should also be warm water !). After that dry off with microfibre and then wax the car.
Personally I do this BEFORE the winterseason starts.
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      12-30-2008, 12:59 PM   #7
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The paint won't crack. I live in Canada and we have 6 months of shite below zero C weather. We would have literally 100 000 cars with damaged paint in our city alone every winter.

Do the touchless spray wand and slowly spray the car and get it warmed up. I use a spray wand all winter and give a good cleaning in teh spring or maybe 1-2 times over the winter in a heated area. But I always prewash it before I do a mitt wash.
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      12-30-2008, 02:16 PM   #8
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Do you guys have any recommendations as far a gear to wear while washing the car in the winter? I'm looking for some type of waterproof/resistant gloves and shoes that keep your hands a feet warm while washing the car outside.
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      12-30-2008, 02:44 PM   #9
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You're in Dallas, gotta be freezing cold way down there lol

Seriously, I would just wear thick painters gloves that are disposable
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      12-30-2008, 02:55 PM   #10
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Hey it gets to 35 degrees and below in the winter. That is cold enough for me (a native Texan).

I guess I need to start a company, making waterproof/thermal gloves and boots specifically for washing cars.
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      12-30-2008, 08:49 PM   #11
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It gets pretty cold here and I choose to go to the coin op place with a bucket. Generally when it is colder, those places are less crowded and I have a routine down to work quickly. Not perfect but it gets the job done and gets the hag chloride schit they use here off quickly.

1. Put coins in for minimum time to rinse the car with high power spray - make sure you don't let the wand get too close to the car.

2. Fill your bucket with water with the wand but without pressing the trigger (so you get a gentle spray that will actually stay in the bucket. It can take a while so not the most economical with coins (I usually add an extra $1-2 for this part.) When near full, add carwash liquid of your choice and get it to suds up.

3. Optional - Spray wheels with wheels cleaner (P21S gel for me).

4. Wash the car with implement of your choice (I use sheepskin or MF mitts.) One for the top and upper doors, the second for front bumper/airdam, rocker panels and rear of the car. I also have a mitt or brush that I use on the wheels.

5. Put coins in and rinse, top to bottom. This is pretty quick so only use the minimum amount of coins.

6. Roll out of the bay and dry with MF towels and vacuum as necessary.

This routine winds up costing me about $7-8 and goes pretty quickly once you get used to it. Never had problems with other people, they normally just go to another bay when they see the bucket out, although I try to go at less crowded times. Not perfect (too much of a PITA to use two buckets), but it still gives you a thorough wash by hand.

As for gloves/shoes, the water is heated at most of these places so the glove thing isn't that big of a deal. Gets a little cold when drying but I don't mind it. I have either an old pair of running shoes or some rubber slip ons from LL Bean that work great.

PS. There are some good hand wash places in Dallas I used in the past. Then again, I didn't have a black car...
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      12-31-2008, 05:35 PM   #12
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OK guys... here goes.

It's Dec 31st. Last night the news said it was going to snow this afternoon here in CT. I went to bed with it in my mind that the car was getting washed this morning before the first flakes flew.

Well, the storm was raging when I got up at 6:30, and I thought about how I was going to handle things as I sipped my morning coffee.

7:10 am I backed the beast out of the garage just outside the door... and I left it running with the heat on. It was 22 degrees and snowing with about an inch of snow already on the ground.

The hot water from the hose quickly melted the snow from the drive around the car, and I filled both 5 gallon buckets to the top with hot water. I worked a little faster than normal, but thoroughly cleaned my wheels taking the time to rinse out each wheel well. Used my normal 2 bucket/ 2 mitt process, rinsing with very warm water often.

The warm water kept the car warm enough that no snow was sticking to the car, and the heat generated from the car running kept he windows and hood well above freezing. The warm water kept my hands perfectly warm for the 25 min the wash process took.

Pulled it in (garage has heat) and took my time drying and puttering around, enjoying my car for another hour and a half before I went out to run the snow blower over the driveway.

My nephew took some video of me washing the car in a snowstorm. I'll see it I can figure out how to post a small clip of it here.

I need to figure how to get a drain in one of my garage bays. That and some tile on the walls out there and....
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